(A) (1) All agricultural operations in existence upon the effective date of the ordinance from which this chapter was derived shall be a permitted use. However, all regulations contained herein and other city ordinances in effect shall apply to all changes of the agricultural operation that will cause all or part of the area to become more intensively used or more residential in character.
(2) Setback and other regulations shall apply to agricultural operations just as they do to residential developments. Any agricultural building erected on a farm shall require a farm site plan permit and shall meet the provisions of this chapter. See § 153.034 of this code.
(B) Rural agricultural operations may occur on parcels of ten or more contiguous acres in A and AP Zoning Districts. Rural agricultural operations may include the production of farm crops such as vegetables, fruit trees, grain and other crops and their storage on the farm, as well as for the raising thereon of farm poultry, domestic pets and domestic farm animals.
(C) Rural agricultural operations may include necessary accessory uses for treating, storing or producing retail farm market products; provided however, that the operation of any accessory uses shall be secondary to that of the primary agricultural activity.
(D) Suburban agricultural operations may occur on parcels of less than ten contiguous acres in A, AP or RR Zoning Districts. Suburban agricultural operations may include the production of crops such as fruit trees, shrubs, plants and flowers, vegetables and domestic pets, provided the produce is intended for the use of the residents on the property or sale away from the property, or for temporary seasonal produce sales that require no roadside sales stand.
(E) Suburban agricultural operations shall not include the raising of domestic farm animals on parcels of less than five acres, roadside sales stands, processing or packaging operations or similar uses.
(F) The City Council may require any farm operation not located in an A or AP Zoning District to secure a conditional use permit to continue operations upon the following conditions:
(1) A nuisance on a farm is determined to be detrimental to the health and safety of adjoining property owners; and
(2) The farm operations are so intensive as to constitute an industrial type use consisting of the compounding, processing and packaging of products for wholesale or retail trade and further, that these operations may tend to become a permanent industrial type operation that cannot be terminated as can a normal farming operation. Excessive trucking operations shall be considered an intensive use.
(Prior Code, § 12-189)
Cross-reference:
Animals, see Ch. 93